What is the Coalition?

The Coalition of Women's Initiatives in Law is a nonprofit membership association comprised of representatives of women’s initiatives in Chicago and New York offices of law firms and corporations. Its mission is to benefit its member firms and companies and its individual in-house counsel members by providing positive avenues of communication, collaboration and guidance that help members to 1. enhance the recruitment, retention and promotion of women lawyers and 2. support the building, implementation and continued relevancy of women's initiatives in law firms and companies.

Who can join the Coalition?

Any law firm or company with lawyers based in the Chicago or New York area that has a women's initiative - or is committed to addressing issues facing women lawyers in the firm or company - is welcome to join the Coalition. We also welcome individual members of in-house/corporate counsel in the Chicago or New York area.

Can individuals become members?

We offer individual memberships only to in-house counsel. For our law firm and corporate members, the law firms and the companies are the members, and individuals from each law firm or company member are delegates to the Coalition. Each firm and company member is allowed one main delegate and up to three alternate delegates who may participate in the Coalition at any given time.

Is the Coalition open to non-lawyers?

No - only law firms, companies with legal departments, or individual in-house lawyers are allowed to join the Coalition. However, we do work with consulting firms and businesses on women-related issues, and joint events and programs are occasionally held in which non-lawyers are able to attend. In addition, there are a number of sponsorship opportunities for outside entities to support the Coalition.

What is a delegate, and what do delegates do?

Delegates represent their law firm’s or company’s women's initiative at Coalition events and meetings. Delegates also can participate on or chair Coalition committees, such as Programming, Community Outreach, Public Relations, Finance, Membership, Policy, Sponsorship, Associates, and In-House Counsel.View Chicago Committees CommitteesView New York Committees

What kinds of programs does the Coalition sponsor?

Successful programs for your women's initiatives

Dealing with different generations in one law firm

Networking - to name a few.

Can all women attorneys who belong to the member firms attend Coalition events?

Space permitting, most events are open to all women attorneys at member firms and companies. There are often space considerations, however, so do remember to RSVP in a timely way. Occasionally there are programs where attendance is more targeted or limited, and that should be indicated in the invitation for the program.

How much does it cost to join?

Annual membership dues are based on a sliding scale depending on the size of the firm's Chicago or New York office(s), or the company’s Chicago or New York legal department. Please see our membership application (click link how to join on the right side of this page) for more information.

Do you prorate the dues for firms that join mid-year?

For new members, we prorate dues on a quarterly basis. We prorate to encourage new members to join the Coalition mid-year, while recognizing that the Coalition is a nonprofit organization, and all of the money we receive is spent in ways that benefit the Coalition and its members.